ballerina in the music box
by nicolejonsson
Summary: Erik is heart broken after that Christine leaves him and is thinking of taking suicide when he met Elizabeth, a little ballerina on the opera. she is hurt and about to die but Erik saves her. he takes her to his home and is falling madly in love with her, which makes him sad, he don't wants to hurt her...
1. Chapter 1

Elizabeth's POV

The screams of hundreds of frightened people echoed thought the burning opera house, they were all tried to make their way out. In my arms I held my little sister Gabrielle who had passed out from too much smoke inhaling and beside me ran my best friend Juliette, and together we tried to make our way through the crowd as fast as we could. in my mind was only one thought, I had to get Gabrielle out and find a doctor for her and that fast… she was only 6 years old when my parents, my older brother Jonathan and my older sister Katherine died in an accident 5 years ago and I had been taking care of her since then, she was now 11 and I was 19 years old, after the accident we came to France to be ballet students at the opera, it had been our home since then and now it was burning down to ashes... I neither knew what to do or where to go but I had to get my sister out. Wherever I looked I could only see running people, I couldn't see the door anywhere and the smoke was making me feel dizzy, but couldn't give up now when I was so close! But suddenly one of the huge stone statues fell and landed on my right leg. I heard a cracking noise and fell to the ground as the pain overwhelmed me. My leg was stuck under the heavy statue and I couldn't move. "Eliza!" Juliette screamed, turned around and came running to help me, but my leg was stuck. "Wait here I'll get help" she said and turned ready to run, but I grabbed her hand. "no, get Gaby to a doctor!" I said between tears, half because of the pain from my leg and half because of the smoke burning in my eyes. "B- But… you…" she said "NOW! " I screamed at her, she knew how much I cared for my sister, Gaby was the only family I had left… so Juliette took my sister from me and started running towards the doors. Now it was only me left in the huge entre, me and the corpses of the people who didn't make it out, and I was soon to be one of them. I tried to get free but for no good, I was stuck, and the pain was almost too much to take. I started to cry and with my last forces I yelled for help, I knew that no living soul could hear me but I couldn't help it. I started to cough as the smoke filled my lungs and it all got blurry. And the last thing I saw before I lost consciousness was a beautiful man with long dark hair and over one half of his face he wore a white opera mask and under the mask I could see his deep blue eyes, they were as wild and stunning as the open sea. I loved the sea, I had grown up with my parents in a little house at a beach in Italy, and every day me and my siblings walked down to the water and played and every night our parents took us down there and we watched the stars, and me and my father sometimes danced around in the sand without shoes on. It was the best memories I had, but then a mysterious fire started in the middle of the night, me and Gaby were the only one who came out of the house alive. The day after our neighbors took us in to their home and there we stayed till one day when the mother in the family took contact with an old friend of my mother, this friend was Madame Giry… The man looked at me but it all started to become blurry, but I was sure that this man was an angel sent from heaven to realize me from this cruel world and reunite me with my family. And then it all turned black


	2. Chapter 2

Elizabeth's POV

I forced myself to open my heavy eyelids; I was looking up at a grey ceiling. Every single inch of my body was in horrible pain and my head was pounding. "This certainly isn't heaven" I said to myself, and I jumped as a voice actually answered me! "It's probably as far from heaven as you can ever get, but you'll get used to it after a while of being stuck here." He said and came closer to me "you are the man who saved me… oh my…! You're the phantom!" I said and shrank back, only to then cry out in pain. I front of me stood the infamous opera phantom. I had heard many stories about him, some said he was a bloodthirsty murderer, killing just for fun, other said he was an insane genius. But all I could see when I looked at him was a sad lonely man desperate for a little kindness and love. And if he really were an insane murderer, then why did he save me? "are you afraid of me to...?" he asked me and I could see all the worlds sadness trapped in his blue eyes, I felt really sorry for him "oh no, not at all! I'm just a little surprised!" I said "I thought you were with Christine Daae?" he got silent and looked down in the floor. I knew that I had asked the wrong thing and quickly decided to change subject. "So, why did the famous phantom save me? And how long have I been sleeping?" I asked him, he just stood there for a long time not knowing how to answer "you been asleep for about three days. And I was on my way up to the rooftop then I saw you and you friend in the entre, and you were trapped and needed help… So I lifted away the statue but your leg was broken so I took you here to rest and…" but I didn't let him finish "THREE DAYS!?" I yelled and tried to stand up. He just stood there and watched in shock but when I shirked and were about to fall he rushed to my help "what are you doing?! Your leg is BROCKEN you can't just stand up like that!" he yelled "but I have to!" I yelled back as response, he helped me get in the bed again and he then also sat down "calm down! It's not as if it's going to kill you!" he yelled back "just keep it still and it will heal!" I glared at him "you don't understand, my sister is out there all alone. I have to go and find her!" I said and tried to stand up, he pushed me back into bed "you have to rest the leg or you may never be able to walk again" he said "And I have to ask you to take of your trousers an-". He began "WHAT!?" I screeched and tried to get away from him "… I- I didn't mean like… that" he said and he's cheeks turned bright red, "I-I'm just asking you to change into a skirt so I can bind your leg… then it will heal faster…" he finished and looked down on the floor again but this time in shame. I felt sorry for yelling at him like this, I should have letting him finish. So without any more words I took the short white dress he gave me and was just about to change as I realized something "ehm… you maybe should go out…" I said to him, he blushed and after apologize like a million times, and then he finally turned around and walked out of the room. I tried to change into the dress but every move was very painful. I ignored the shock of pain rushing throw my body, I almost wanted to call him back and ask him to help me but I didn't. So I slowly took of my trousers and the long pink dress that I was wearing, trying not to move my leg so much. But then I looked down on my body I screamed, my arms and legs covered in bruises and burns, my right leg was swollen and on the place the leg was broken was a huge blue/red bump…

Phantom/Erik's POV

I was leaning to the wall thinking about what I had done, not only had I let the love of my live go, no I also kidnapped a random girl who needed help and now I the great phantom was playing nurse… but it was something in the girl's eyes that made me feel dizzy, I've always dreamed of just leaving the opera house and see the big world, but my deformed face made that completely impossible for me, but in this girls beautiful green eyes I could see all the worlds wonders and all the things she had gone through in her still very young life, I could see sadness and joy, braveness and a big interest in the world around her. I had witnessed the whole scenario with the statue falling and her handing over a small child to her friend, probably saving her sisters life, but you can say that also saved my life…

Flashback

When Christine left me she left a dark hole at the place my heart should have been, all I could feel was the pain and all I wanted was to die even if I knew that all I had a place waiting for me in hell, but it still seemed better than this. So started walking towards the stirs, I was going to jump from the roof and end my pain, and the place that once gave me a live and had been my only home would now also be my death… but when I walked by the entre I saw two girls, ballerinas, one of them was very short with long blond hair and the other one had long wavy dark brown hair, she was a very long and (even for a ballerina) very slim, they were wearing long pink dresses and pointe shoes, I guess that they had been practiced for the next ballet when the fire broke out, had seen the brunette girl before, she was a pretty good dancer but she didn't like to dance after a plan, she was more like a girl that just wanted to be free. The one with dark brown hair was whispering to what looked like a pile of rags she was holding close to her heart, but after a while I realized that it actually was a small child who had lost consciousness. One of the big statuses fell on the brunette girl's leg, she fell to the ground and screamed in pain, and by the cracking sound I could tell that her leg was broken. "Perfect!" I whispered in sarcasm "Now she won't leave!" I was just about to turn and take another way as I heard her scream something at the blond girl, I tried to listen but I was too far away

I stood there in the shadows waiting, I couldn't hear what they were saying but I then saw the girl on the ground handing over the unconscious child and then the blond girl ran out of the burning opera. I stood and watched the left girl cry until she fell together on the ground, that was then I decided to just walk past her. But when I did so she forced herself to lift her head and starred at me. I looked her in the eyes, her green eyes where the prettiest I've ever seen and when I looked at her I forgot about Christine and I could no longer feel that empty pain in my chest, her eyes where almost hypnotic… But they slowly lost their color and turned gray, and her pale skin got even paler as she was about to die, her head fell down and her eyes slowly closed. I came back to reality and just stood there looking down on the dying little ballerina, but I couldn't just let her die, so I lifted away the heavy statue and picked up the girl, she needed fresh air but it was impossible for me to just walk out, I was known over whole France as an cruel murder… so I decided to take her down to my layer, the smoke hadn't reached there and was the safest place to be on because the opera was falling together. So once again I walked down the stairs to the prison I called my 'home', it seemed like whatever I did I would always have to come down here again… but this time I came back to stop another person from dying. I placed her on my bed and went over to the lake with a bucket to get some cold water. I ripped of a piece of fabric from my cloak, I didn't need it anymore, my days as phantom where over. The phantom died with the opera, now I was only Erik, a sad man with now friends. I dipped the fabric in the water and then I placed it on her forehead trying to keep it cold. She had gotten back a little of the color in her face. I looked down on her. She was very pretty…


	3. Chapter 3

Erik's POV

I had heard her friend call her Elizabeth... It was a really cute name, I guess that she was from another land because she had a slight accent, but I wasn't sure about that. I got interrupted in my thoughts from her screaming. I looked around and was just about to run in the room to see what was wrong when I remembered, she was changing cloths and there was a big chance that she was only in her underwear. So I knocked on the door instead "are you okay?" I asked, it took a while but then she answered me "uhm… yes, I'm okay… I guess" she said "can I come in?" I asked "no, wait…" she said "ok, come in". When I opened the door I saw her sitting on the bed looking down on her Brocken leg, it was swollen and looked really bad, even worse than I thought it would had, the wound was infected. I now realized that I had basically ruined her chances of becoming a danseuse by not doing anything earlier. She was shaking and I could see tears run down her cheeks, she looked frightened. I tried to calm her down and asked her to lie down on the bed while I was going to get some thinks I needed.

Elizabeth's POV

I tried to stay calm while he went to get some things. And I got pretty surprised when I saw what he was coming back with, bandage, water, a towel and… a bottle of vodka… "Ehm… I don't drink vodka…" I said as he sat down on the bed and took a closer look on my leg. "It's not meant to drink" he said without looking away from the wound on my leg. "Vodka can also be used as Disinfectant…" he began, my eyes grew big… he was going to put alcohol on my leg… "Ok Elizabeth, this will burn quite a lot." He said and soaked the towel with a mix of water and Vodka. "Wait… how do you know m-…?" I asked, I don't remember to have told him my name. But in the next second he had put the towel against my leg, and I whimpered in pain as it burned. This was just horrible and I hadn't even been ready. "I heard your friend call you by your name in the entre the day I took you down here." He answered to my previous question "oh… okay, but actually everyone just calls me Eliza" I said and smiled at him as the burning got a little better. "Okay so now you know my name but I don't know yours...?" I said. He looked like fist wasn't going to answer but after a while he did "ehm… m-my name is Erik…" he said and looked at me. "That's a pretty name" I said and smiled at him, and he smiled back. But then he concentrated on my leg again, he took away the towel and put the bandage around it "so, now you just have to keep is still and it will heal." He said and looked me in the eyes "how long do I have to wait?" I asked "I don't know, that is different from person to person. But I guess… 2 maybe 3 moths" he said "what!?" I said "but I have to find out if my sister is okay…" I said "what's her name?" he asked "her name is Gabrielle, but everybody just calls her Gaby." I said "she was just 6 years old when our parents -…" but I stopped talking, I had already said too much. "… When your parents, what? Did they kick you out?" Erik said and the look in his eyes scared me a little. I decided to just say the truth. "…no, w- when my parents died… it's now 5 years ago… I miss them so much…" and then I told Erik the whole story, or almost the whole story… he sat there and listened closely, and when I was done he gave me a hug and just held me there in his arms, it felt good to have him this close to me and I never wanted the hug to end, but a voice in my head protested and kept reminding me of that he loved Christine and never would want me, I mean Christine is a goddess with her angels voice the absolutely perfect body, and her pretty face… I was nothing compared to her.


	4. Chapter 4

Elizabeth's POV

The rest of the evening we just sat there and talked about ourselves and when I told Erik that I loved to read he went and got me a book, (it was one of his favorites he said) to read so that I would have something to do. It was The Count of Monte Cristo, an interesting book about Edmond Dantès, a man who has everything he could ever wish for; he's a young and successful merchant sailor and is going to marry the beautiful Mercédés but gets locked up in prison for something he hadn't done. He escapes and goes to take revenge, only to then find out that Mercédés has gotten married to the man who locked him up. The book soon became one of my favorites too. Erik got us some pasta to eat and then we went to bed, Erik gave me an old nightgown to sleep in, it was much too big for me and he giggled when he saw me in it. But when I found out that I was lying in his bed I offered myself to sleep on the floor "don't be silly, you're hurt, and I'm okay I have an extra bed down stairs." He said and pointed at the door. "Good night, Elizabeth." He said and left me alone in the room. I thought about my sister, where was she now, was she okay? She and Juliette where probably worried about me… but I got interrupted in my thoughts from a lovely sound from downstairs, Erik was playing the piano, the sound of him gently pressing down to keys made me shiver. I stood up and tried to go to the door without putting any weight on my right leg, I basically jumped on one leg and if someone would see me right they probably would have found this very entertaining, but I don't care. I want to see him play, it sounded so lovely. I came to the door and opened it, but when I locked around I froze in amassment, I was standing on the stairs and looked down on a big cellar with a lake in the middle filled with lit candles and all over the walls hang beautiful paintings and all kinds of other strange things, and against a wall stood all kinds of instruments many of which I've never seen, it was a beautiful room. And there in the middle stood a big piano, played by Erik himself. I carefully walked down to him and watched, it seemed like he didn't even notice me. The first song had come to an end and without thinking I started to clap, he jumped and turned around looking at me "oh, it's just you… I'm sorry if I woke you up, I can stop playing if you want…" he said "oh no… I actually came down to see you play…" I said and looked at him, a long time we just looked at each other and then he moved to the side so that I could fit on the bench. I smiled and sat down. He looked through his Sheet Music for a song to play. And when he found one he started playing, I knew this song; it was prelude by Johann Sebastian Bach, one of my favorites. I sat there and listened When I caught sight of a violin not far away from where I sat, it was then that I decided to do something crazy, I slipped off the bench and went and picked up the violin, when Erik saw what I was doing, he stopped playing and stared at me "ehm… what are you doing…?" he asked, I held up the bow "I'm going to play of course." I said he went pale and looked at me in horror "ehh… t- that's my favorite violin. Can you p-please just lay it down again?..." he said, I just ignored him. "Can you play prelude again, but a little faster this time?" I asked and put the violin in position, at first he didn't react but when I glared at him he slowly turned away and started pressing the right keys, I waited till my part began and started playing, it been so long since I played the last time, many years, but I remembered it all as if it's been yesterday. There had been a time where I loved playing the violin (I was pretty good and even played on a few concerts back in Italy) but when I came to Paris my songs just became sadder and more depressed and at the end I stopped playing. But it felt good to play again, I've really missed it. I smiled and started to play faster, I could tell that Erik was staring at me, I giggled. He wasn't expecting this from a simple ballet rat.


	5. Chapter 5

Erik's POV

Just, Wow… Elizabeth stroke the bow gently over the strings of the violin and the sound was just… magical. Who had taught her to play like this?! When the song came to its end I starred at her, maybe my eyes just where tired, but I could swear that she was _glowing _in the darkness. I insisted to play another song with her and another… and after maybe 5 songs I decided to ask her. "Who taught you this?, I mean you're great!... but you're a 'ballet rat' not a musician…" she smiled and looked up at the celling as if she was looking back on an old memory "I'm maybe not a musician but my mother was, she was known all over the world and always when she came home from different countries she'd tell the best stories, we all gathered around an open fire and she played the violin. She thought me how to play in the hope that it would lighten up my world just like the music did for her… but when she died I got very sad, and so did my music… I haven't really played since then…" she said as the happy memory went sad. I took her into my arm just held her close, I could feel her cold tears dripping down on my neck, I didn't like to see her cry and it made me feel a little uncomfortable, people didn't really show their feelings around me, the only feeling I knew was fear… I tried my best to comfort her; I tried to talk to her it helped a little and she wiped away the tears, it was weird to see her cry, I mean in my eyes she was a brave, happy and intelligent young girl, she didn't really seem like the person to cry. I looked her in the eyes they were red and I could see tears forming. She looked at me and asked "how about you…? What's your mother like…?" I thought about what she said, my mother? I couldn't really remember her… as long as I could think back there were only me and my father. I could remember my father in every detail, he was a long and gruesome man, he had been an alcoholic and he sometimes hit me and screamed at me. He hated me and said that I was shame to his family… he looked me up and pretended I didn't exist, never gave me much food and I was sure I would have starved but the worst had been the loneliness… I had no friends because I was different… no child should ever have to grow up like I did… It was kind of a realize for me when he sold me to the circus where I was presented as "the devils child", sure, there I wasn't treated much better but it was better than having your own father scream at you that he wished you wouldn't been born… I didn't answer Elizabeth's question, I didn't have to, she understood…

We just sat there and talked till long into the night, she told me about her live and I listened to every word, she had gone through a lot to keep her and her sister save, and I was impressed how much this little girl could handle. But not even she could stay awake forever so when she fell asleep I gently picked her up and placed her on the bed, at first she mumbled something I did not quite understand but then she fell asleep again, she looked so calm as if nothing could worry her right now. I smiled, I don't know why but every time I look at her a warm feeling is speeding in my body, I this love…? I've never really felt like this before, not even for Christine… my feelings for Christine had mostly been painful for I knew that she never would feel anything other than hate towards me… no, this feeling was quite nice…


	6. Chapter 6

Erik's POV

The next weeks we spent every moment together, on the day we talked about ourselves and I found out a lot of interesting things about Elizabeth like that she love to draw (and actually was pretty good at it) and that she loved to read poems and sometimes even sang (but she didn't let me hear… unfortunately…) and that she could do anything that she put in mind, her favorite color was light pink and that she loved to hear me sing for her. I found that I had forgotten about Christine, but for Christine I'd never be more than a friend… I've never really had a friend but…I liked Elizabeth more than a… friend… I tried to shock the thought out of my mind; my heart was proudly just trying to replace the place Christine had…

Every night she came down and sat beside me on the bench and we played together, sometimes she'd even asked me to learn her to play some other instruments like the organ and piano, she was stubborn and learned really fast, and soon she master. I sometimes sang to the music and as soon as she could she started to dance a little again. She read book after book and liked to sit and read out loud for me, so one day I decided to surprise her, it took a while but it the end result was truly stunning. So I knocked on her door one day and found her there on the bed reading (again…) I smiled at her and then took her hands and dragged her down the stairs to an old door. She just looked at me in confusion "Erik, what are you doing?" she asked me I simply smiled at her and opened the door and smiled at her reaction

Elizabeth's POV

I just stood there in shock looking in to a big room light up by candles, in one end stood a big bookshelf and a couch, a table, a paint easel and some paint brushes, and in the other end a little stage with a big mirror, and the whole room was filled with pink and red roses. I turned to Erik in amassment, he smiled and said "I thought that as long as you're here you maybe could need some space for yourself" I was shocked "this… is for me…?!" I ran into the room and looked around, it was filled with all my favorite things "of course, I listened to what you told me and then put all the things into the room, I hope you like it…" he said and blushed "like it?! I LOVE it!" I looked at the table only to find another surprise, a violin! I picked it up and looked at it; it was very easy to hold and beautiful, the violin was black with golden details and on the back was my name written in gold letters. Erik came and stood beside me with a nervous smile on his lips "I… I hope it works for you… I thought you could need your own…" I was speechless, this was so nice of him and the violin was so beautiful… I didn't think before I ran over to him hugged him and kissed him on the cheek, he froze and when I realized what I was doing I quickly pulled away and looked down on the ground in shame "I… I… I'm so sorry… I don't know what got into me…" I stuttered


	7. Chapter 7

Erik's POV

I just stood there in shook, one hand brushing the place where her soft lips had touched my cheek "an… accident… nothing more…" I said more to myself than to her still don't moving my hand, it had just been an accident and it would never be more than that, but somehow I didn't want to believe that. An awkward silence fell between us until she finally broke it by starting to play the violin, it sounded lovely and she played with such big passion, I couldn't stand watching her anymore and walked out of the room. I was filled of anger, why?! Why did I always have to feel this way for women who never would see me as anything more than a friend?! It was the mask… it always is… why did just I have to be like this!?… WHY!? I felt the rage rushing through my body, I walked to one of the big mirrors on the wall and ripped of the mask and threw it away, instantly the so well-known deformed face appeared in the smooth glass surface, the whole right side was covered with red bruises and scars and the eye was slightly sunken in, the hair was light and quite thin, I locked awful and every time this face remained me of why I needed the mask. But suddenly another face appeared in the mirror, this one was stunningly beautiful with skin as white and perfect as porcelain the eyes were green and the whole face was surrounded by lose brown curls, on Elizabeth's lips danced a little smile and she walked closer to me and put her tinny hand on my shoulder, it took me awhile but when I came back to reality I instantly looked around for the mask only to then find out that Elizabeth had it, she sighed and handed it to me "you don't have to wear that around me, I actually think you look better without the mask on." She said and looked at me I was just about to put the mask on again and hide the face that had coursed me to live forever alone as I stopped in shook, did I just hear right, she _liked _ my face?! A thought hit me, she hadn't mentioned my mask in the time she'd been here… maybe she just didn't want to be mean… or maybe she really didn't mind... Maybe there was a slight chance that she wasn't like Christine and would just except me… I looked her deep into the eyes and I knew that she told the truth "d-do you really mean that…?" I asked she nodded and we leaned closer and kissed but this time it was real, I pulled her closer to me and stroked my hand through her soft hair, her lips felt really warm against mine and I closed my eyes, a moment later she pulled away and just looked at me with a smile on her lips "Erik, I have to leave…" she said and looked away "what? Why? Have I done something wrong?" I asked, I was wrong she was just like Christine, first give me hope and then leave me alone in my dark empty hole… "No, i… - it's just I have to find my sister… my leg is much better now a-and… I'll come back soon, I promise…" she said and looked at me; I thought about it, what if she wouldn't come back? What if she just run away?... but I knew how important Gabrielle was to Elizabeth so I nodded and showed her to a tunnel out of the opera, it was the only way out that wasn't ruined, she smiled and gave me a quick kiss before she disappeared into the darkness, I just stood there for a long time and starred at the place where she'd vanished, would I ever get to see her again…?


	8. Chapter 8

Elizabeth's POV

I made my way thought the darkness, I didn't see anything and It was a little cold, the tunnel was made out of massive stone and with time it was getting smaller and smaller and in the and I even had to almost crawl to get to the end, but then a light appeared maybe 3 meters from the place I was on. I crawled towards the little light until I finally came out in the huge entre hall, it was totally ruined and everywhere I looked I saw bits of the roof that had fallen down and there was a big hole in the wall, I tried not to look around that much as everything here just reminded me of that terrible night the fire started, I made my way to the door, and walked out only to find the dark noon sky and small snowflakes dancing though the air, when you are deep under the ground you lose your sense of time and I seems like the cold Paris fall had turned into beginning winter, I looked around; the ground was covered by a thin layer of snow and the people wore thick coats, I regretted not wearing something other than a blue long sleeve dress and a pair of high heeled boots, not really the warmest cloths but I hadn't expected to leave today. I danced through the streets while the soft snow fell and landed in my hair, an old lady stared at me as if I'd lost my mind entirely but I just smiled at her, I loved the winter and the chilly weather. I walked down the streets in order to get to Juliette's house (if she doesn't know were my sister is then I don't know who does…) and as I walked I let my thoughts wandered away to Erik, had he ever seen winter? I felt sorry for him, I can't be nice to be trapped for all your live unable to ever leave… ugh, the people of Paris are so judging, I mean is face isn't that bad, I have seen much worse… I stopped in front of a big white house; this is where Juliette lived before she became a ballet student and her parents lived. I walked up to the large door and knocked, I could hear them scream at each other about whose going to open the door, ah, the Bailys, what a lovely family… I thought and giggled, Juliette's family was always like this, augmenting about every single little thing but still they were the cutest family you'd ever meet; Marion Baily (Juliette's mother) was a short little loving mother to 5 kids, Juliette, Jonathan, Sandra, Hailee and little Louise. Marion's husband, Henry, was and engineer with the worlds coolest mustache. It never was boring in the house of Baily. I heard Marion sigh and she opened the door, at first when she saw me she smiled but after a moment the smile slowly fainted away and her face got as pale as death and she screamed and ran away leaving the door open, I looked in not sure what to do, I could still hear Mrs. Baily scream in another room and after a while all the Baily siblings ran through the entry pushing each other to get to the door where I just stood and watched, was something wrong? Normally Mrs. Baily loved having me at her house but now she seriously looked like she was about to faint… Sandra was the first one to reach the door short followed by her twin sister Hailee, they just stared at me without saying a word, the others also came and stared at me, I felt uncomfortable and tried to start a conversation "ehm… hi, I would like to speak with Juliette, please…" they just stared at me, Sandra who was quiet a drama queen fainted and Juliette looked as if she'd seen a ghost. The other left the room dragging Sandra with them but they didn't look away from me, I turned to Juliette "what's wrong with everybody?" she just stared at me and the whispered "a-are y-you really h-here?" I was confused, of course I was here "ehm… yes…" her face lost all its color "b-but you are d-d-dead…" dead…? Oh, the fire… she thought I had died in it… "Ehm… no I'm not… we can say that an angel saved me." I said and when she didn't answer I asked the question I had come for "where is my sister, I want to see her" her eyes grew wide and she didn't know how to answer "Gaby… I … there was n-nothing they could do…" I shook my head, no, this can't be my Gaby can't be dead… "She d-died the next morning, w-we had a f-funeral, she lays next to your g-grave… on the g-g-graveyard… oh goodness, w-we thought you were d-d-dead…" I couldn't stand this anymore, she was lying… she had to be lying… "MY SISTER IS NOT DEAD!" I screamed and ran away, I just ran, without looking back, I had to get away from here…


	9. Chapter 9

Erik's POV

Elizabeth had been gone for pretty long now and I started to get worried, I know that she could take care of herself, but I felt a huge desire to protect her, and I had this weird feeling that something would happened to her, something terrible… my heart raced and I turned around in hope as I hear someone walk thru the tunnel, but as I turned around it wasn't Elizabeth that walked towards me, no, it was Madame Giry… she looked a lot older than last time I saw her and pretty tired, "guess what, my daughter just dragged me out of bed just to tell me she'd seen the "ghost" of Eliza dance down the streets, I assume it was you who saved her live?" she said and looked at me as if that was the wrong thing to do. I glared at her "yes, is something wrong with that?" I said, she just shook her head "I'm just warning you, Elizabeth is not who you she is." She said, I was confused "what do you mean…?" I said "has she told you about her family?" she said, now I was just angry what did she mean with Elizabeth not being who I think she is? I bet I knew more about her that Madam did. "Of course she has…" I said, she gave me a look "about a fire? That's a lie, she doesn't want to tell the truth to anyone, her family did not die in a fire, they were _murdered_" she said, I froze in chock, murdered? Why didn't she tell me? "She'll never forget that, the first years she been here she even tried to find out who the murderer was but then gave up that so she could take care of her sister, but deep inside she still longs for revenge… where is she actually?" she asked and looked around, it took me awhile before I could talk again "she is searching for her sister, she been gone for quite a while now. Why?" I asked, all the color in Madam Giry's face faded away "you let her go… all alone…"she stuttered "ehm… yes, is something wrong with that?" I asked, she looked down on the floor and shook her head "there is a reason I took her to the opera and never let her leave alone, I think that the murderer still is after her, it was by luck she and Gabrielle got away alive…" she murmured, my eyes grew wide as I realized what she meant "so you mean… oh no…" I said and ran away thru the tunnel leaving Madam Giry just standing there; I had to find Elizabeth before it was too late…


	10. Chapter 10

Elizabeth's POV

I stopped running looking around, I wasn't quite sure where I was and it was already getting dark, I sat down against an old tree were no snow had been covering the ground yet and started sobbing quietly, I was nothing, all I ever had been died in the Bailys house as Juliette told me what had happened… it still seemed so unreal, my sister was dead… I had no family anymore, I was alone… it soon was pitch black outside and I could hardly see anything, and I was getting tired. Not long after I feel asleep on the cold ground, I had a terrible nightmare; I was running after my sister on a beautiful beach, we were so happy but then the blue sky was covered by grey clouds and it became frizzing cold, I stopped running and looked around Gaby was gone but instead there was a tall man, he was wearing a dark coat and in his hand he held a bloody knife… I could hear the ear-piercing scream of a women eco thru the night and then… it was quiet… the man walked towards me an raised the knife, and suddenly I was that scared little 14 years old girl again who just had witnessed her parents getting stabbed with a knife, I started to cry, I would die just like my family… but then… the man was gone and the sky turned blue again, and instead of the tall scary man there was Erik, he wasn't wearing the mask and a big smile danced on his lips, he was so handsome and he didn't even realize it, and every time I saw that cute smile I felt warm and safe, as if nothing could ever hurt me… he bent down and picked me up as if I was weightless and then he gave me a soft kiss on the cheek and carried me away from that miserable nightmare..

The next morning to my surprise I woke up in a bed, Erik's bed. And beside me there was Erik himself, he was fast asleep and looked so calm, I couldn't help but smile at him that was until suddenly it all came back to me; the nightmare, Juliette, the cold, Erik… and Gabrielle… she was gone forever… I stood up and walked out of the bedroom and to the door to the room that Erik had made for me, I wasn't sure what to do there but I needed something to distract myself with, but I didn't work, when I painted I turned out awful, when I played the violin my songs were sad and depressing, when I tried to dance I just became angry at myself for not being with my sister that night… I just wanted to get away, away from Paris and never come back. Yes, that was what I needed to do run away from my problems just like last time… I left the room and was just about to go through the tunnel as a warm hand grabbed my wrist; I turned around to see Erik standing there and looking at me worried "you're not going anywhere, not after what happened yesterday" he said and looked down on me "why didn't you tell me about your family getting murdered, I would have understood…" he said, I looked up I shock, how did he know that? I have only told two people, one was Juliette who Erik never meet or talked to, no, not Juliette. But that left me only one person, Madam Giry. "Erik I…" but he just grabbed me and held me tight "don't leave me again…" I was shocked, what should I say? What should I do? For a long time no one of us said anything, and then he pushed me away a little so that he could look me closer in the eyes, we stood like this for a long time just looking at each other, but in his eyes I saw more than just fear that I would leave him, no, I think he feared I would die… at first it seemed like a dumb thought but then he brock the eye contact and looked away from me "you have to leave, now… leave Paris, leave France…. Just go as far away as possible…" I was shocked, what did he say? Doesn't he love me as I love him? Does he want to get rid of me? I can't live without him… I felt a hot tear run down my cheek "you hate me…" I stuttered and turned my head away as I did not want him to see me cry…


	11. Chapter 11

Erik's POV

"you hate me…" that was the only thing I heard, how could she even think such a thing…? I loved her more than live itself, and that's why she had to leave; she's not save here and I can't follow her… it had already taken all my power just to leave the opera house and even then I had stayed I the shadows in fear to be seen, this was the only place I could be on without Paris citizens screaming at me and chasing me down. But Elizabeth had to leave for her own sake, a murderer is after her and he knows where she is, I had the memories from yesterday to remind me of that, but according to madam Giry she isn't aware of the fact that she could get killed any moment, no I can't lose her too…

"You have to go… just… don't ask me why… just leave the country…" I said and looked at the ground, I couldn't bear to look at her face, I knew she was crying but I had to get her to leave "not without you." She said, I looked up, is she seriously doing this…? I knew that she was stubborn and never gives up in an argument if the other person not finds evidence that he is right, but really… I'm trying to be a hero and save her live but no, I have to follow. Doesn't she realize that that is impossible, just because she isn't scared of my face doesn't mean others won't be… no, humanity is a bitch, and if something is just a little different they avoid it… and I to my big anger and shame do not fit into this world. She walked a step closer me and gently stroked my deformed cheek with her warm and smooth hand "please… if you don't want to you don't have to tell me why, but please come with me…" she said and looked me in the eyes, and I looked back into those beautiful, green eyes…

And well, when I said she was stubborn I didn't lie, she never lost an argument, not even to me… and so I found myself wearing a long black robe and a big hat that hid my unmasked face and I was sneaking down the moonlit streets of Paris in order to get to the train station, I can't believe I'm actually doing this, the infamous phantom of the opera! But when she looked me in the eyes I felt a warm feeling inside of me that made me forget about everything else, and so, I said yes which I now regret… but I must confess that even if I felt out of place and just wanted to turn around and go back, I found this a little interesting too, all the buildings, all the people and no one even paid attention to me. And so we walked together till we reached the train station, I sat down on the nearest bench while she went and bought two tickets for the next train, we hadn't decided on where to go, we would just take the next train that leaves. I looked around, the place was grey and dirty, and everywhere around there people running in order to catch their train, and against a wall sat an old lady and a young girl and begged for money, I watched how the girl stood up and sneaked behind a man that walked past her, she bent forward and took something and then she happily walked back and showed the old lady her catch, a wallet full of money, I looked away and saw Elizabeth returning with a big smile on her lips, she stooped I front of me with her hands behind her back "guess what" she said and smiled, I sighed "what?" I said, she glared at me "you have to guess, or it isn't fun. Now guess" she said "Elizabeth, I'm tired and I don't want to play this game, so just tell me." I said slowly losing my temper, she sighed "well, you know how I told you that before I came to France I lived in Italy?" I nodded "well, guess who just got us two tickets to the next train to Venice!" she said happily and showed me the train tickets. "Venice? That town where there is water on the streets? I don't know if I want to go there…" I said, the truth is, I don't like water, honestly nobody ever taught me how to swim so I'm not that good at it, but I couldn't tell that to her… "Come on! It will be fun! My cousin lives there and I'm sure that she would give us shelter. And the town is just so beautiful! I'm sure you'll love it there!" I said and took my hands, I sighed and stood up, how bad can it be? As long as I just try not to fall into the water, and I read about Venice and it is beautiful… "Okay then… wen does the train leave?" I asked, she looked down on the tickets "in five minutes so we better hurry or we'll miss it…" she answered and took her small bag and the violin case, we had only taken a few things with us so that we would not have to carry too much, she had chosen to take a few books to read on the train, some clothes and of course the violin I gave her, I had taken a book with sheet music, my own old violin, a notebook I had all my ideas in, extra clothes and sketchbook and some pencils, and also my mask (but Elizabeth did not know that) but I wish I could have taken more. We made our way to the train to Venice, the train was already there and a man I could only guess was the conductor stood there and checked the tickets, Elizabeth walked towards him and handed him our tickets, he took them and inspected them "two tickets to Venice, for monsieur and madam, Erik and Elizabeth Shadley, is that correct? He said and looked down on Elizabeth, I looked up in shook, _Erik and Elizabeth Shadley?! _I can't remember to have gotten _married _to her?! I glared at her and she gave me an excusing look "ehm… yes that is right." She said to the man still not looking away from me, the man gave her back the tickets and stepped aside so that we could enter "hope you enjoy your ride, your compartment is the first on the left" he said "merci, monsieur!" Elizabeth said and walked past him into the train, but as I walked past him he stopped me and glared "why do you hide your face, monsieur?" he said, I glared up at him without saying a word, Elizabeth turned around in shook and watched us glare at each other "oh, he's… he's… ill… yes, he got an allergic reaction and his face is all swollen, and he doesn't want to show that…" she said in hope to the man to just let me go in, and to my big surprise it actually worked, and soon we walked into the small compartment, I sat down and glared at her finally being able to ask the question that I've wanted to ask the whole time "sooo… madam and monsieur Shadley?" I asked, she sighed and looked up at me "I know, and I'm very sorry but the guy kept asking questions… and I didn't know your last name, and he asked what our relation was… and… I'm sorry, I got panicked and I just said it without thinking… I'm sorry…" she said and looked down on the ground in shame, I took her face and lifted it up forcing her to look at me "no sad faces on our wedding day, madam Shadley" I said and we both started to giggle hysterically for a long time till we got interrupted by a loud whistle and the train starting to move, and it was first now when I actually realized what was happening, I'm leaving my opera, my home possibly for ever to go to a place I only read about! I'm leaving my works and most of my stuff in order to save _a girl, _ I didn't even know that good…! _You maybe Don't know her but love her_… a voice in my head said, I tried to ignore the voice and looked at Elizabeth, I could see in her eyes that she thought this was a crazy idea and wanted to just go back, but it was too late for that now, we were leaving France…


	12. Chapter 12

Elizabeth's POV

The compartment wasn't that big but it was enough for just us two, there were two small beds to sleep in and after a few hours of siting there quietly and reading while Erik was drawing something (he refused to let me see), I got very thankful for that, but Erik refused to sleep, I noticed that he normally doesn't sleep so much, he often sits awake when I'm already fallen asleep and composes or plays music, something he even sings quietly, or like today; he draws, he is a real genius. I sometimes wish I could see what's going on in his brain and see where all the sweet music he plays comes from, every time I hear him play I feel free and happy, I've always loved music, it makes me feel as if everything is possible and I hope to one day become a musician, of course I love to dance but honestly ballet is to strict; every single movement is planned and has to be perfect, it's not free… madam Giry often got angry at me on the rehearsals because I didn't do what I what supposed to do, once I didn't even come on the rehearsal and sneaked around in the opera house instead; well madam wasn't happy at all…

I laid down in one of the beds and looked over at Erik, he was still scribbling, he was very concentrated and I don't think he even noticed me looking at him, but suddenly he looked up at me "Elizabeth, can I ask you something?" he said, I nodded "of course Erik, just ask" I said and he became quite thinking about how to ask "ehm… your last name is Shadley, right?" he asked, I nodded again "are you related to Alina Shadley? The violinist?" he asked and looked me in the eyes "ehm… yes, she's my mother…" I said, he's eyes grew wide and I could see curiosity in his eyes, he opened and closed his mouth several times wondering about what to ask first; great…, I thought, he has heard about my mother, this will be a long night… I sighed, but he actually asked something I hadn't expected; "she played at the opera populaire once, Right?" I nodded "yes she played there once a long time ago… where you there watching?" I asked and this time he nodded "yes, I watched, and I remember what she wasn't alone, there was a little girl with her, and the girl was singing… was that you?" he asked and looked at me, my face got pale as all the memories came back to me, I was just 11 years old when my mother took me to France for the first time, she had been offered a job where she would play at the opera one evening at Christmas time, but she of course insisted on me coming with her and sing… well, I didn't hit a single note and it was a huge shame for me, and my brother kept reminding me about it for many years, that was when I promised myself to never EVER sing in front of anyone again, but now Erik has heard me sing and just as I though he wouldn't just let it be. So the following hour and a half he kept annoying me with things like "you have a nice voice, you just have to train a little" and "come on, sing something! Then I can help you making it perfect!" I seriously came to the point where I just wanted to scream!

Erik's POV

She had stopped talking to me now, and I who just wanted to hear her sing! Seriously it can't be that hard, by now we both knew that I had already heard her sing when she was younger, and I knew that she could be very good if she only practice, and who knows, that was 8 years ago maybe she is a lot better now, and i learned Christine Daae how to sing then I can learn this little brat too, so why can't she just SING!...

Well I guess I should probably calm down a little, but the voice in my head kept saying that I could maybe be her angel of music just like I had been for Christine, but she doesn't even let me hear! I took a deep breath and told myself that I didn't want that, that everything went terribly wrong last time and that I wanted something real and honest with Elizabeth, _oh really, you don't even know what she thinks of you, it was just a kiss, people kiss all the time! _ I felt ridiculous for having this conversation with myself and instead went back to the picture I was drawing, I had decided to try and draw Elizabeth just for fun but as I got further and started to draw some details it actually started to look pretty good and I was almost done with it, I looked over at Elizabeth, she had fallen asleep, I smiled at her and then I looked out of the small window on the landscapes rushing by and I felt a strange happiness, I was finally leaving!


	13. Chapter 13

Erik's POV

It was a long way to Venice and it was already morning when the train stopped and people started to wake up and get all their bags, I myself had fallen asleep on the seat after drawing and reading long till after midnight, and now I woke up in the same position as I had fallen asleep with a terrible pain in my neck, I stood up and yawned and looked over at Elizabeth, she was still sleeping so I went over and gently shook her, she yawned and gave me a grumpy look, I giggled, she wasn't really the morning person, "we're in Venice" I said and started packing my things, she signed and got up, I held back a laugh when I saw her hair, it was messy and pointed in all directions, I gave her a mirror and a comb and her tired eyes sprung open when she looked at herself, she hysterically stared to brush it while I packed her stuff too. And then we left the train and walked out on the streets, I had the hat and the robe on, but what Elizabeth didn't know was that I also had my mask in my pocket, she had told me to throw it away because 'the people in Italy are far more accepting' but I secretly kept it, just in case of that something would go wrong. But one thing I must admit, Venice was very beautiful, the street was surrounded by tall and colorful buildings, there were not many people here but there was a small group of children playing ball, one of the boys kicked to hard and it landed just in front of my feet "could you please kick it back?" the boy screamed at me, I looked over at Elizabeth not sure what to do, in France this never happened, the children there already from a very young age focused on their education, this was unacceptable! Elizabeth glared at me and then kicked the ball back herself, I glared at her, she was a young lady and this was not how a lady should behave! "you really have to loosen up a little, this isn't France, here people aren't that strict all the time." She said and we continued to walk down the streets "so, where does your cousin live?" I asked, she looked around "it should be just down the street, look for a big house" she said and looked around "does she even know that we are coming?" I asked her, she stooped walking and first I thought that she had seen something that had made her stoop but then she actually walked over to a big door and knocked "not really…" she said to me as I walked up to her and stood beside her, when suddenly a loud noise was heard from inside, a baby screaming… then the door opened reviling an angry and tired looking woman in her pajamas, she glared at us "WHAT! It's Saturday eight am, and I was just sleeping, so you better have a good reason to wake me up!" she screamed at us, Elizabeth giggled and I just stood there shocked, Elizabeth's cousin was very… charming… "Cousin Verena? You have really let yourself go…" she said still laughing, my eyes grew wide, this was a side of Elizabeth I hadn't seen jet, and I must say I think I like this side more "Eliza?! Is it you?!" Verena said and hugged Elizabeth who hugged her back "Ciao cugino! It's nice to see you again! Oh, and this is Erik, my dear friend from Paris" she said when the hug ended, Verena gave me a hug too "Ciao Erik! Or should I say monsieur phantom! " she said and laughed as she ended the hug, I backed away in shock, how did she know?! I glared over at Elizabeth who gave me an excusing look, "I'm sorry… I used to write to Verena, and when a mysterious phantom hunted the opera I had to tell her…" she said, I sighed but I was a little surprised that her cousin didn't judge me, maybe Italian people didn't judge so much…? Verena bent forwards and took the hat from me, I glared at her "that's it? I've seen worse…" she said as if it was nothing, I was surprised and confused, are all of them like this?! "So why are you two in Italia?" she said and looked at us, Elizabeth looked at me not sure what to say, honestly she didn't even know why she was here, I never told her, and I wanted it to stay that way… "Well, we just wanted to leave Paris… it was nothing for us…" she said; a lie, or maybe not, at least I hated Paris. Verena nodded "and why are you here by my door, 8 in the morning?" she said with a suspicious look on her face, Elizabeth sighed and looked down "we… we were hoping on staying here… just for a couple of weeks… per favore..." she said, Verena sighed "Eliza honey, you know that I don't have that much space… but… maybe… I have a guest room… just one you was place to stay there, the other one can possibly share with Rosie… okay then… come in" she said and walked into the house, we followed her, there in the big living room sat a young girl, maybe 6- 7 years old, she had long blond hair and bright blue eyes, she looked very tired "mamma, who is it?" she said tiredly "Rosie do you remember Eliza? She's come to visit and is going to share a room with you" her mother said, Rosie's eyes grew big as she saw Elizabeth and she ran over to hug her "Eliza!" she said with a big smile on her lips, they hugged and then Rosie saw me… "Is this your husband Eliza? He's very handsome!" she said and looked at me from top to toe, then she gave me a hug too, Elizabeth started to giggle "no, Rosie Erik is just a good friend, but he is quite handsome." She said still giggling at the sight of me with a little girl hugging me. I blushed and started to giggle too.


	14. Chapter 14

Elizabeth's POV

Verena's house was pretty big but with her, me, Erik, Rosie, Verena's adopted daughter Tanya, her 2 years son David, Verena's older brother Sam, there was almost no space, but somehow we got it to work, Erik tried to not show it but I knew he felt uncomfortable with all the people around him, I couldn't blame him, he had grown up in an huge opera house all by himself, and my family can be quite weird sometimes… I hadn't expected my oldest cousin to be here, last time I heard of him he lived in Spain with his wife and son, but Verena told me that his wife had become mad at him and kicked him out, and now he was a mental wrack, he had been in a mental hospital once but that hadn't helped so now she took care of him. And last time I met Verena was three years ago and then she didn't have David yet, so this was actually the first time I met him, I think he is super cute and all but I'm pretty sure that Erik thinks he is scary, Erik isn't really the kind of person that likes children, but ironically, they love him, Rosie always wants to be around him, and even when he tried to scare her of by showing her his face she still loved him, I sometimes joke about it and say that they are the perfect couple, and then he glares at me. But Erik quickly learned why Verena and all the others didn't mind his face at all as he meet little Tanya, before she had been adopted she had been with in an awful fire, leaving her face and body full of red burns and in the fire a small piece of wood had gotten in her eyes, she was completely blind and her parents had just left her on the streets in Sweden where Verena found her sitting all alone… well, even if Erik didn't like kids he got a special connection to the 8 years old little Tanya, I guess he just understood her in a way that no one else could…

One morning as I woke up I found that Rosie already was awake, she sat on the end of her bed and reading some kind of book "what you got there?" I asked and sat beside her "I don't know, a book with a lot of drawing and stuff, I found it in Erik's room." She said and looked up at me, I looked at the book, it was Erik's sketchbook… "You stole Erik's sketchbook?!" I said and looked at her "I borrowed Erik's sketchbook… oh, and did you know that his drawing you?" she said and gave me a look and then she turned the page, there has a perfect drawing of me playing the violin, at first I thought it was a picture that how good it was, I snatched the book out of her hands and walked out of the room "I think he likes you!" she screamed after me, likes me?! He's a genius, a musician and an artist, he could never like someone like me… never…

I stopped at the door to the guestroom that Erik was sleeping in and knocked at the door, but as nobody answered I did a huge mistake; I just opened the door and walked in finding Erik there turned to a mirror and just about to take on a skirt, my face turned bright red and I ran out and closed the door again, and there I stood, trying to just forget what I just saw, but the image of his muscular back and arms was impossible to forget, Erik opened the door and gave me a look, I just handed him the book, mumbled a quick sorry and walked away, I could feel his glace on me but didn't turn around, it was to shameful…

I walked into the kitchen where Rosie and Tanya already had started eating breakfast and Verena was taking care of little David, I sat down on the table and hid my face in my hands, Verena looked at me "are you okay? Your face is as red as a tomato" she said giggling, I gave her a look and then Sam and Erik walked into the kitchen, they glared at each other and sat down on opposite sides of the big table, I gave Erik a questioning look but he just started to eat, so I did the same still confused.

The rest of the day we didn't do much, I had asked Erik to teach me some new songs on the Violin, so he did that, the girls were playing and Verena was out buying food with David, Sam was on his room, doing something. And when Verena came back home she forced us all to leave the house because it was good weather, Sam and Erik protested but I managed to get Erik to leave the house with me and taking a walk, he had of course the decided to take on the robe and the hat with him, to which I just laughed, I didn't even have to say anything, because in the summer it could get really hot outside and eventually he would take it off by himself, I myself had taken on a short summer dress with according to Erik was "to short"

Verena was right, it was wonderful outside and me and Erik walked together on a small path as we came to a small bridge over a river; me, Verena and my sister always went here swimming as kids, ah, great times… I stopped "Erik?" I said and turned to him "yes Elizabeth?" he said and looked back at me, I smiled "let's swim!" I said took of my hat and my necklace and the braid in my hair, he just gave me a look "we don't even have swimsuits with us!" he said and starred at me, I gave him a look "and? We can just swim in our clothes, it's warm outside! Come on!" I said and dragged him with me on the small bridge a plan forming in my head on how to get him in the water "Elizabeth, no…" he said, I played sad and sat down on the thing that made that people down fall in "okay…" and then I just let myself fall backwards and fake screamed…

Erik's POV

The only thing I knew was that Elizabeth had fallen into the water and I felt myself jump after her, but as I was in the cool water and had bragged her up from the bottom of the not so deep river she started laughing…

"It actually worked! I got you in the water!" she said still laughing, I was shocked, the little brat tricked me…! But I started laughing myself, the water was nice and cold and it was very hot outside, so it was pretty fun, until…

"Let's swim to a place where the water is a little deeper!" she said and I looked at her in shook, this was what I had feared… here were we where I could still feel the bottom of the river with my feet, so it was okay, but swimming out to a deeper place?! I don't know… "Elizabeth… let's just stay here…" I said trying to convince her to stay without having to say to her that I can't swim…

"Why?" she said, I sighed, she wouldn't just give up, right? "I… I can't… swim…" I said and looked down on my feet feeling my cheeks het up, I just waited for her to start laughing at me but she didn't she just gave me a confused look "wait, what? You lived under the opera by a big lake and you can't swim?!" she said, I shook my head "that was madam Giry's idea, as I was younger she thought that it could keep me trapped so that I wouldn't scare all the people in the opera, but I found other ways to get out, so she just gave up… and I never bothered learning how to swim…" I said, she lifted up my face so that I had to look into her eyes "I can teach you" she said, and well, she did… or at least she tried to, but I protested all the time, I had no mask on, and I was a fully clothed, grown man standing in a river and learning how to swim… it was just embarrassing… but I must say, with Elizabeth by my side everything was kind of fun.


	15. Chapter 15

It wasn't much of a swimming lesson as most of the time we just laughed and splashed water at each other, it was pretty fun and we forgot about time and so we stayed there till evening when the sun already was about to set, the sky looked very beautiful and we sat down on the grass, cuddling together and watching the wonderful sunset, I smiled, this had been a very good day and it felt good not having to be inside all the time, I turned my face to Elizabeth, she smiled at me and cuddled closer to me "are you cold?" I asked, she nodded and I wrapped my arm around her, she smiled and we just sat there and looked at the sky, it was a nice moment, but it ended too quick and soon it had gotten really cold outside and our clothes where still wet, so we decided to go home, I still held her tight trying to keep her warm as we walked "Erik?" she asked as we had gotten to Verena's house, I looked at her "yes?" she stopped walking and looked at me not sure what to say "ehm… Erik… it… it was a really nice day… and I just… I just want to tell you that… that I li-…" she mumbled "that, what? Are you okay?" I asked and took her hands in mine, she looked down on them and then she just been forward and kissed me, at first I was shocked but then I returned the kiss, he closed our eyes, it was a very passionate and loving kiss and I needed no more words to understand that we both felt the same about each other. I gently ran my fingers through her long and soft hair, and we both probably could have just stayed like this forever, that if the door wouldn't have opened just in that moment, we broke apart and found Verena standing in the door, face bright red and holding a bag of trash, she mumbled a quick sorry and ran inside again, leaving us there, laughing like crazy…

Elizabeth's POV

We just laughed for several minutes and when we went inside the first thing we found was Verena hiding her face in her hands and Rosie running to us "did you kiss?!" she said, well great, the news are already spreading! I just nodded being too tired to come up with a lie "I knew it! Mom, you owe me money, I was right! They did get a couple!" she said and walked over to her mother, I just starred at them, they had made it to a bet if I and Erik would end up as a couple?!

But Rosie had been right as always, we did get a couple and it was quite nice actually, Erik was very loving and cute and I really loved him, and we often went out for a walk, and Erik finally started to go without the hat and robe all the time, he always joked that next to a pretty girl like me no one even gave him a single glance. We had also started to look for our own place to stay as we didn't want to disturb Verena too much. But we hadn't had much luck yet. Otherwise it all been just great

Erik's POV

I walked through the hall of the big house, thinking, it was still early in the morning and I was the only one awake, I had been awake for a long time now, since me and Elizabeth became more then friends I been scared that I maybe wasn't good enough for he and I have been obsessed with making her happy, and even if she had told me that she was the happiest girl alive when I was close to her, I felt a need to make her happier; so I had been thinking for the past few weeks on how to surprise her, but nothing was good enough! So now I was walking to Verena's bedroom door, I felt stupid, normally I didn't like to ask for help but Verena had known Elizabeth since she was just a child, so if someone than Verena knew what Elizabeth liked… I take a deep breath and knocked before walking in, she had sit up in her bed and just glared at me with a tired look on her face "what?! I hope it's important! I was sleeping! This is the second time you wake me up!" she said and rubbed her eyes "I'm sorry, but I have to talk about something with you… if you want I can get you a cup of coffee…" I said, she glared at me "can't that wait till later…?" she said and I shook my head, she sighed and then followed me into the kitchen, she sat down by the table and I made her a cup of coffee, she gladly took it and I sat down next to her "I'm sorry but I didn't want anyone else to hear…" I started as sipped on the hot coffee "I wanted to surprise Elizabeth with something special, but I don't know what…" I said, she glared "you wake me up for this?!" she said angrily, I nodded and she sighed "ehm… don't you know anything? I mean you lived with her for several months…" when I shook my head she sighed again and tock another sip of coffee "jewelry, maybe? Or a song? I mean, you're the great genius here, just write something for her…" she said and I shook my head again "no, I want it to be perfect! I write songs all the time, that nothing special…" I said, she thought about something and the suddenly a big smile formed on her lips "just take her to the carnival!"

**okay, so this will probably be a really long story as i have planned to make a "a few years later" but i'm maybe going to make that an** **other** **story, and at last they are** **together!** **yay! if i make a part 2** **story** **than it will only be 2-3 maybe 4 more chapters on this one! **


	16. Chapter 16

"Carnival? What carnival?" I said, she gave me a look "wow… I take back that I called you a genius… once a year it is a carnival in Venice and thousands of people go there wearing masks and colorful costumes, me and Eliza went there once as kids, it was MAGICAL! With all the colors and the pretty masks! And one of the richest man in town is having a huge party this year, and I just happened to… know… Him" she said and looked down on the floor with a sad look on her face, but if there is one thing I've learned about Verena then it's never to ask if she was okay, she was a alone mother and she tried her best to be independent and strong, but that also meant that she never accepted any help… in many ways she reminded me of myself… "The carnival is in three weeks and as long as I know the guy having the party is looking for someone who can play music or sing, if you do a song I beat I can get you and Elizabeth to the party." She said sheepishly but with a smile on her lips, I smiled; a carnival! That would be perfect! And maybe I even could get Elizabeth to play the violin at the party! "That would be great! Okay so here's the plan." I said and we continued talking, the plan was that Verena would tell that man she knows that I could play if I and Elizabeth could be at the party, and she would go to town with Elizabeth today so that I could buy a nice dress and mask for her, she should be the prettiest woman in town, or I consider myself to have failed. And Elizabeth was not allowed to know… "But wait, what will you go as? You DID throw away that awful mask of yours, right?" she said suspiciously, I sighed and toke the mask out from my pocket and threw it out on the table, Verena glared at me "you're not going as 'the phantom' right? Eliza thinks you threw it away, she would be angry when she found out that you lied… no, you need a real costume… and I can get you one" she said with a suspicious smile on her lips… well, seems like she is going to take revenge on me for waking her up so early…


	17. Chapter 17

Elizabeth's POV

In the morning I woke up with and awful headache and a weird pain in my stomach, hunger, I thought and walked into the kitchen where they already had started eating their breakfast, it was normal that they didn't even bother waking me for breakfast, I would just fall asleep again, I sat down next to Erik and he gave me a smile. "hello dear, nice to see you awake this early, did you sleep well?" he asked, I turned to him and gave him a sleepy smile "well, yes but my head is hurting and I'm pretty hungry, guess I didn't eat enough yesterday… but otherwise I slept good" I said and started eating a bread, but my stomach did not accept the food I eat and I got a weird puking effect "are you okay?!" Erik said and rubbed my back, I started coughing and nodded "guess I'm getting a cold, I shouldn't have stayed out in the cold so long yesterday… well, I think I go back to bed…" I said and stood up, and looked down on my half eaten bread, I sighed; Verena hated when people eat elsewhere then the kitchen, and I was still hungry but she would see if I tried to sneak it with me, and right now I just wanted to lay down in a bed and get some rest, so I started walking back to the bedroom that me and Rosie slept in, but half way thought the hall I felt Erik's hand on my shoulder, stopping me, I turned to him "what is it?" I asked, he smile at me and lead me to his room instead "it's more quite here, and Rosie is not allowed to come in here, so you should be able to get some rest here." He said and I smiled thankfully and sat down on the king-sized bed, he handed me something and I started giggling as I saw what it was, my half eaten bread! "I saw how you looked at it before you left the kitchen and decided to sneak it with me…" he explained, I took a bite of the bread, my stomach still didn't really like the food I put in it, but by now I was way too hungry to care… what can I say, I love food…

Erik's POV

I walked back into the kitchen where Verena and Rosie was already waiting for me "so, how is she?" she said with interest "what are you talking about?" I said and sat down by the table "you said you were going to see if she was okay… so, is she?" she said confused, I had honestly forgotten why I was going after Elizabeth… "Oh, she's okay; I think she is getting a cold though. Could you maybe stay home while I go buy a nice dress for her?" I said while making another slice of bread, Rosie's eyes light up "are you going shopping?! Can I come! PLEASE!" I looked up at the little girl that was literally jumping of excitement, I was just about to protest as Verena turned to me "sure, I can take care of Elizabeth, but only if you take Rosie with you" she said with a smirk, I glared at her and then sighed; I guess I don't have another choice…

I had never in my life been shopping, and if it always was like this then I never wanted to do it again, it was incredibly hard to find something nice and Rosie wasn't much of a help, in every store the first thing that she got interested in was ALWAYS something fluffy and with a lot of glittery stuff, once she even cough sight of a _wedding dress_… she literally made me go crazy! In the end I even bribed her that if she would just shut up I would buy her whatever dress she wanted, and guess what! It was pink and fluffy! But now I could at least think about what to buy Elizabeth, I wanted something classy and beautiful, it was hard but in the end I found it; a white, long dress made out of tulle, it was very thigh on the top and lose and fluffy on the bottom, there were no strips or anything, and with the dress I bought a necklace with white roses, and a mask with feathers, in the end it was a little expensive but it was worth it as I imagined the look on the other women's faces as they saw her walk in. a real swan queen.


	18. Chapter 18

Verena's POV

I sat down in the large sofa next to my daughters, I'm so glad to have them here by me; I couldn't imagine how my life would be without them… probably really boring… my children meant everything to me, Rosie, Tanya and David where my life… my everything, but I must say that sometimes it's hard being a single parent… I always had to take over both roles and it can be a little stressful… and now with that carnival… the girls know who the person throwing the party is, even if he never really spent time with them… and I know that the girls need him in their live but… I just can't handle letting him come close to them… what if he'd hurt them just like he did with me… I could never forgive myself… and things just got more and more complicated as Rosie this morning asked me if she could go with Elizabeth so that she could meet him… I said yes even if my heart broke that second, I could never ever, EVER; forgive _him _for what he did to not only me but also to my children…

Tanya cuddled into me and I gave her a kiss on the forehead, my little angel; I think it's good that Erik is here, because even if I try I will never understand how it is to be different… even if the other people in this town never say anything I see how they look at Tanya, it was the exact same way they looked at Erik; judging but too scared to say what they really think… I cuddled into my adopted daughter as a loud shriek was heard, seems like David has awoken from his nap… I got up from the sofa with a sigh and walked up the stairs to my crying son's room, where to my big surprise I found my brother…

"Sam? What are you doing?!" I screamed at him, he was holding my son in his arms and shacked him violently, I ran over and snatched my little David from him and glared at Sam "that…_thing… _won't stop crying and I'm working" he explained as if it was nothing, I was completely shocked; that _thing_ happens to be my son! "He is a child for god's sake! And kids cry, it's normal!" I swear, if I ever see him doing that to my children I'll kill him! NEVER EVER, MESS WITH AN ANGRY MOTHER! I held David tight, protecting him from my brother, my brother just shook his head "oh dear sister, I know what kids are, I happened to have had one myself, ah, little Toby… nice young boy, a shame that he had to die in that…_ accident…_" he said with a fake tone of sorrow in his voice, I knew exactly what _'accident'_ he was talking about…and as much as I just wanted to scream at him I knew the what he was capable off… and it was then I saw that mad smile on his lips and that warning look in his eyes, I looked down in the ground nodded; not a word to anyone… 


	19. Chapter 19

Verena's POV

It was the day that Erik would surprise Elizabeth, the day of the masquerade party. I walked into the small kitchen with my still very sleepy son cuddling around my neck, there by the table everyone was already waiting, even Eliza, the last few weeks she had started to wake up in time to eat breakfast with us, even if she hardly ate anything at all, and when you are a mother of two children I must say you start getting a little… suspicious… about things like this, but I was probably just imagining things. I sat David in his chair and sat down next to him, he honestly looked as if he would fall asleep again and I had to laugh as his head almost dropped into his food, he was so cute, he looked a lot like his father… messy brown hair and beautiful blue eyes and a smile that could make your heart melt. There was a time when I thought that me and their father would spend our lives together… but I was wrong… he didn't love me… just left me and took everything I had but the children… nowadays he lives with his new girlfriend… or _new_ maybe the wrong term as they had something together several years before we got divorced, and now… he was back in town… TROWING A GOD DAMN PARTY! It…it just made me sad to see how happy he was with that… skank… she was much younger than me and of course beautiful like an angel… he had always been chasing after young beauties… and once in a time I had been one of them… I'm actually not that old yet, I had actually just been around Elizabeth's age when I got Rosie… but that was 11 years ago and I wasn't that pretty young girl anymore… he must have thought I was becoming old and left me… I took another cup of coffee and a bagel; this would be a long day…

I looked at Erik; he looked very excited, just like a little child on Christmas… I could tell he really wanted this to work out, since the opera closed he must have had very little to do…

Elizabeth's POV

I'm not going to lie, I felt terrible… the last weeks I had started to feel sick in the mornings and eating was just awful, but I didn't want anyone to be worried about me so I did my best trying to hide it, and I failed… horribly, Verena had started to look at me suspiciously as if I had some weird disease, and even Tanya had noticed that something was wrong, but seriously I didn't think anything was wrong; okay, I feel a little bad on the mornings but that isn't that bad, the rest of the time I feel great, a little tired but great!

I looked over at Erik; he looked as if he had won the lottery… I had to giggle, he had a big smile on his lips "wow, you look happy today, something good happened?" I asked him, he shook his head "not jet" hi said and when I gave him a questioning look he added: "you'll see" and smiled, even if I had a lot I wanted to ask him I just had to except that answer, I drank my tea and looked over at Verena, she has playing with David, I had to smile, he has so cute! One day I hope to get children myself, and maybe live with them in a little house by the sea, and have a husband who always smiles at me in the morning and makes me coffee, and on the evening we all sit by a fire and sing… and… I know it seemed weird, but… every time I think of that I see Erik sitting there next to me, I really love him, more than I ever loved someone else and I'm so happy to have him in my live, I smiled at him and he smiled back and then he shared a look with Verena, she just nodded and said: "do whatever you want" and continued playing with David, I gave her a confused look but she said nothing, a sound made me look at Rosie, she was almost jumping of excitement "oh, is it time? Yay!" and then she ran off to her room, I gave Erik a look "am I the only one that has no idea what you are talking about?" I asked and he smiled "well, do you want to know?" he asked me, I nodded "of course I want to know!" I said, he smiled "well, I have planned something special for today… go to your room and put the dress on, and then I tell you the rest" he said kissed me on the cheek and went off himself, I was confused but I did as said and went to my room, the first thing I saw was Rosie wearing a bright pink dress and trying to pin up her hair "what are you doing? Why are wearing that dress?" I asked, she looked at me thru the mirror and smiled "look on the bed" she said, I looked on the bed, my eyes grew wide and my jaw dropped, there on the bed was the prettiest dress I had even seen, long white tulle with a fluffy bottom and a thigh strapless top, and next to the dress was a thin black box with a beautiful necklace in it, Rosie walked to my with a smile on her face "like it? I must say Erik has style" she said but I was to shock to answer; she laughed and walked out of the room, leaving me there in amazement…

I put on the dress and the necklace looked myself in the mirror; it just looked beautiful, the top of the dress slid around my small body and at my hip it was very big and puffy, and the necklace just made the look complete, I loved it! I put on a pair of white high heels I had stolen from Verena and tried to fix my hair, god, this would be much easier if I knew what Erik had planned… when I was done I walked down the stairs where I was meet by Erik, Rosie and Verena, Erik's eyes grew wide when he saw me coming down "wow, you look beautiful…!" said and I smiled at him, but he looked very good himself, he was wearing a white shirt, a black vest and a pair of black pants, and a black tie, and on his face he had a simple black mask, wait, a mask?! Oh my god I think I know where we are going…!

"Erik, are you taking me to the carnival?!" I asked in excitement, he nodded and I could have jumped up and down in happiness if I hadn't worn heels, I loved the carnival but it had been so long since I been there… I looked over at Verena "you planned this, don't you?" I said, she smiled and nodded "I helped Erik, and I choose he's clothes, but he should be really happy, I was going to choose something hideous but my damn consciousness told me not to…" she said, I had to laugh as an image of Erik in some ugly clown costume popped up in my head, Erik looked very thankful that Verena didn't force him to wear something stupid, he took my hand and dragged me towards him, and then he pulled out something from behind; a white mask with small feathers and black rhinestones, he put the mask on me, it fitted perfectly, I smiled, god, I love the carnival…


	20. Chapter 20

**authors note: yes, this is the last chapter of this story and i'm very thankful for all the nice comments that you guys left me! i really love writing and can already promise you that there will be a part 2 of this! i hope you'll like that too! and i'm sorry that this chapter changes POV all the time, i wanted them all to have a last moment here... well, tell me if you like it and stay tuned for part 2! the name of the next part is "the porcelain mask" **

Elizabeth's POV

I took Erik hand and he leads me out of the house into the warm spring weather, and there I found the next surprise, a carriage dragged by two beautiful black horses, I was overwhelmed, I had always loved horses; they were such lovely creatures, I smiled at Erik and he helped me get into the carriage; a very hard thing to do with the big dress, then he turned to Verena "madam?" he said and made a gesture for her to go in, she just shook her head "no thank you, I'm too old for the carnival, I'll stay home with the kids, I'll meet you at the ball when I bring Rosie" she said, Erik nodded and sat down on the coachman's seat and took the reins "wait, ball? What ball?" I asked, Erik gave me a smile "well, the carnival wasn't the only surprise" he said mysteriously and then the horses started to walk.

It wasn't far… not at all, we probably could have walked there but the thing with the horse carriage was a nice surprise, and considering the top of the dress was pretty tight and the bottom a little heavy so I guess it was good that I didn't have to walk there. The horses came to a stoop and Erik helped me out, and as soon as I saw all the many people is colorful costumes I felt home, a feeling I hadn't felt for years, Paris was nice but I'm happy to be here again. Venice was really beautiful with all its colors and things to see, me and my family came here every summer to see my cousins, I grew up near Venice, just a bit out of the town by the sea, I would like to go there with Erik one day, just sit there on the beach and watch the sun go down… it would be perfect

I was awoken from my daydreams by Erik who was shaking my shoulder "daydreaming? How about we go have some fun instead, okay?" he said and smiled, I smiled back and we walked down the road, I gasped as I saw all the beautiful people, women and men from all over the world all hiding their faces behind porcelain masks and colorful dresses. Erik lead me thru the crowd, I smiled and laughed and it felt as if the time just flew by, I had more fun than I've had the past few years, and before I knew it, it was time to go to the ball, I Erik lead me back to the carriage and we drove away, I looked out of the window all the time looking for the place we were going too; I saw many big mansions but Erik just drove by them and when I asked him where we were going he didn't answer, I sighed; I didn't really like surprises, I always liked to know where I was going. Then the carriage suddenly stooped and I got out, then I gasped, this house in front of me was huge! I swear, it was almost as big as the opera populaire! I looked at Erik and he smiled at me and I couldn't help but smile back. We walked to the huge door where a proper looking man stood and welcomed people, I felt a little uncomfortable as I had only been to a ball once a few years ago on the populaire, that was also the first time I had seen the great opera phantom, back then I had been really frightened and now he even has my date to a ball!

"Names?" the doorman asked and looked on his list ready to check if we were on it "Erik Destler and Elizabeth Shadley" Erik said and the man nodded and let us walk in, I turned to Erik "Destler? Is that your last name?" I asked and he looked at me "well, it was my father's so I guess it's mine too" he said and we walked into the big mansion, I looked around, there was a big scene with musicians playing and a dance floor, and music was playing and it all looked very fancy and proper and everywhere I looked there were people dancing over the floor, and all the glazes fell on me as I walked down the stairs trying my best not to fall over the hem of my dress, I looked over at Erik; he smiled at the crowd, this was the perfect place for him, he fitted in perfectly, but I didn't at all, but I guess it could be fun. Erik took me to the dance floor and bowed "do I get this dance madam?" Erik asked and I felt my cheeks getting warm as I blushed "Erik, I don't know, I'm not a good dancer" I said, he stood up again and laughed sarcastically "says the former ballerina, you know I liked to sneak around the opera and I know exactly that you can dance" I said and I sighed "shy? Wow, that's new!" he said, I curtseyed and placed my hand on his shoulder "I don't know, it's just so many proper people here… what if I fall?" I said as he placed his hand on my waist "you won't fall, and if you would then I'm here to catch you" he said and I smiled, and then we started to dance; a waltz, I'm not that good at dancing waltz, I'd always focus on ballet but Erik was a very good dancer and after stepping him on the foot a few times it actually went pretty well. The song ended and Erik left to get us some drinks, I walked of the Dance floor so that no one would accidently dance into me. I looked around on all the masked shapes spinning around on the floor as I felt someone tap on my shoulder, I turned expecting to see Erik but it actually was a man I'd never seen, he smiled "ah, finally I found you! It's so hard to find people when everyone is masked… are you ready?" he asked and took my hand in his; I gave him a questioning look "me? I'm sorry but do I know you?" I asked but he started to drag me away to the scene "very funny Antoinette, but it's time for you to sing" he said, my face went pale, Antoinette? Sing? "I'm sorry, but I think yo-" I started but he just gave me a paper with the song on and pushed me on the scene, I froze as everyone starred at me, I looked for Erik in the crowd but he was gone, I sighed, closed my eyes and took a deep breath, then I opened my eyes and looked down on the piece of paper; waiting for the worst to happened, and it did, on the page there stood written: _**think of me**_. The opera Christine had been known for, an opera… I was forced to sing an opera…

Meanwhile Erik's POV

I went to get some champagne for me and Elizabeth as I saw a shadow pass by with the corner of my eye, I turned to the side where it had disappeared but there was nothing there, I turned to get the champagne as I saw a letter on the table addressed to _the opera phantom, _I took the letter and opened it:

_Dear mister phantom_

_I know who you are and I'm pretty sure you know who I am to, if not, we met in Paris; you almost caught me as I went for your dear Elizabeth. I'm giving you a second chance to kill me, meet me on the rooftop, I'll be waiting there, if you tell anyone or don't show up I go after Elizabeth, and I won't stop till she's dead, trust me when I say; I've killed before… the rooftop, ten minutes, prepare to die…_

_S._

I closed the letter, it was from the man in the shadows I think, the one I had seen passing by, the one that killed Elizabeth's family… I had to go to the roof, I owed Elizabeth that, he had killed her family and I had failed to kill him the last time; but I wouldn't fail again! I walked up the stairs that lead to the roof as I saw something that didn't fit into the scene, someone had just placed a sword a rope and a letter on a table, the letter once again addressed to _the phantom of the opera:_

_I at least wanted it to be a fair fight, have fun._

_S._

I smirked, a rope noose! Of course! But how could this, S. know so much about him? I took the things and continued to run up the stairs till I came to a wooden door, I opened it and felt the cold air against my skin, it felt heavenly! I saw a man move in the shadows and prepared myself to strangle him "hello, Erik…" the man said and walked out of the shadows, I gasped as I saw who he was…

Verena's POV

I sighed as I stood outside of his house, in my hands I held my son and behind me stood my daughters and peaked thru, the doorman turned to me "name?" he said "Verena Geare, I'm here to see my ex-husband, John?" I said the man shook his head "you're not on the list so you can't come in" he said, I was just about to become angry and scream at him as I saw John coming to the door, I took a deep breath a gave him a fake smile "hello John" I said, he I sighed "hello Verena" he said in response and it got awkwardly quite, then he's gaze fell on David who was looking at him with curiosity in his eyes, John gave him a smile and the ha looked up at me "is that my son?" he asked and I nodded, John had never meet David, he had left me as I was still pregnant, John then looked at Rosie "hello sweetheart, you remember me?" I asked Rosie nodded and gave him a shy hug, he hugged her back "I've missed you princess…" he said as the hug broke, I couldn't help but smile at him, he was so handsome… but I knew his true side; an awful lair… "If you hurt her in any way, I'll kill you…" I said, he sighed "Verena, she's my daughter too you know…" he said and walked inside with my little girl, I already missed her…

Elizabeth's POV

I stood there shocked and not sure what to do as the music started playing, I read thru the text fast and started singing "think of me, think of me fondly…" the people stared at me and I decided to stop thinking and just do it, I raised my voice "when we said goodbye…" it didn't sound that wrong and as I started to relax it got better and better, people looked at me and it kind of felt good, I raised my voice on a high note and everyone started clapping! Then I caught sign of the man who had pushed me on the scene, he had his hand for his mouth; seems like he finally realized I wasn't that Antoinette girl… I sang the last high note perfectly and everyone clapped their hands, then I walked of the scene, and they crowded around me asking my name, and then the man who had thought I was someone else came thru the crowd "Bravissimo la mia bella! Very good!" he said, I smiled "thank you!" I responded "you're even better than Antoinette! What's your name girl?" he asked, I blushed "thank you, but I'm really not that good… and my name is Elizabeth, but if you excuse me I have to find my date…" I said and ran off to find Erik

Erik's POV

I gasped as I looked into the cold blue eyes of… Sam… yes, Elizabeth's Cousin Sam "what are you doing here?!" I asked shocked, I mean, sure he was a little crazy and all, but a murderer?! "I'm here to finally kill you, and when I'm done with you I'll kill dear little Eliza…" he said and smirked, I shook my head "you're kidding me right?" I said, he gave me a look "of course not, has my dear sister told you about my past? My wife and son? Well, they didn't just _leave_ me, they died, by my dear dagger" he said and looked at the dagger in his hand "the same dagger that killed my aunt, her husband and my cousins, that killed dear little Gabrielle on the hospital and that now will kill you…" he said with a mad smile on his lips, I looked up, shocked "Gabrielle died of smoke inhalation…" I said, Sam shook his head "you know, as I was younger I was very interested in puppets, how when you pulled a string it would move however you wanted it to, so now when I'm grown up I got myself a little puppet collection, Juliette, Verena, Madam Giry… all dancing after my will…" he said and laughed, I was shocked, this man was truly mad! "But why did you want to kill Elizabeth's family…?" I asked, he looked up at me "well, mostly for the money, but that damn Eliza and her sister escaped me…" he said and laughed, it became quite far a moment "and… and why do you want to kill me?" I asked, he smirked and grabbed inside his jacket, and then he pulled out a piece of paper with my face on it:

_Wanted_

_The phantom of the opera_

_Dead or alive_

_Reward 100,000 francs_

"By your dear friend Raoul de Chagny, he really wants to see you dead…" he said, I sighed, Raoul, who else could it possibly have been "let's just stop talking and start fighting…" I said and took the sword, he smiled and took a sword himself, and the fought began… We were equally good, making it hard, when I attacked he blocked, but I actually managed to hit him over the chest leaving a large scar, I laughed and we continued fighting…

Elizabeth's POV

I walked up the stairs to the roof, I had looked everywhere else but not a sign of Erik… this was the last place he could be one… I ran up as fast as the dress allowed me to till I came to a big door, I opened it a little and pecked thru, I could hear the sound of metal hitting metal, and there I could see Erik with his back turned to me and… Sam? When Sam saw me he smirked and let down his sword, Erik threw away his own sword and took out a… a rope noose… and-… OH MY GOD! I watched in horror how he choked my cousin with it… "are you happy now?!" he screamed at Sam, Sam smiled and pointed at me with his last power "yes…" and then he got quiet… I gasped, oh my god… Erik killed my cousin… I backed away as Erik turned around, his face went pale as death "E- Elizabeth…I…" he said but I just backed away… I thought he had changed… but I was wrong… "Don't touch me!" I screamed, he looked sad "i-… I'm sorry…" he said and before I knew it he ran to the edge of the roof, he turned to me one more time, and then… he jumped…


End file.
